Clinical Environments

Staff

It is essential that health service providers should provide gender sensitivity training or workshops for all relevant staff, regardless if they are transgender or non-transgender individuals. The training should include those who may not be required to be in direct contact with the clients as well, including housekeepers and security guards, because every staff members’ actions and expressions can contribute to the clients’ experience.

The training should be held annually or as often as it fits with the facility, to ensure the staff stay motivated and updated with any new knowledge. The content of this training could be set up based on the information in topic number 2. Key concepts to understand when providing health service for transgender people and Dos and Don’ts in providing health services for transgender people provided.

Facility

Apart from complying with state’s rules and regulations on setting up the healthcare facility and laboratory operation in some cases, to create a transgender friendly and welcoming facility, health service providers should take the following points into consideration.

1. To ensure the facility has a comforting and accepting atmosphere, the decoration and arrangement of the facility should match with the gender identity of the transgender people. This can be done in many ways, for example, by adding posters, paintings, flags, or photos that represent the identity of transgender people in your clinic.
2. If possible, the information and communication materials used in the facility should also be transgender-specific or friendly.
3. The examination or counseling room should be a private space to create a reassuring atmosphere for the clients.
4. All-gender or gender-inclusive restrooms should be available and open for transgender clients. Restroom’s safety should also be maintained for everyone.
5. A suggestion box should be available to collect clients’ feedback and complaints. It should be placed in an easy-to-notice location or made available online.

Refer: Health Service Implementation for Transgender People, The Thai Handbook of Transgender Healthcare Services, Center of Excellence in Transgender Health, Chulalongkorn University